Stay
by st4r-pl314d3s
Summary: Sometimes, devotion is staying by the loved one's side despite anything and everything. Wolfram X Yuuri. Ps: betaed


**Stay**

**Disclaimer: **This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Tomo Takabayashi and various publishers and studios. The poem is Devotion by Robert Frost. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning:** AU from the OVA. Yaoi (BoyxBoy) implication.

**Pairing:** Yuuri/Wolfram eventually. Yuuri/OC.

**Note:** Many thanks to AmePiper who has kindly betaed this story, hence making it far, far better than before.

"_The heart can think of no devotion_

_Greater than being shore to ocean –_

_Holding the curve of one position,_

_Counting an endless repetition."_

-Devotion, Robert Frost

Start

One of the lessons Wolfram had learned early in his life was that everybody would leave. Some did it sooner, some stayed for hundreds of years first, but inevitably, they would go.

He could not remember his own father. When he was little, sometimes he'd asked his mother about him. She'd told him that he was blond and handsome. But these kinds of questions more often than not left her in melancholy remembering the lovers she had lost, so he ceased to do it.

Once or twice, he asked Gwendal or Conrad about his father. Gwendal said he was a good politician. Conrad told him the former Lord Bielefeld loved him very much. A statement that had made little Wolfram, alien with the concept of death, wonder, why his father could not stay if he did.

In fact, his first experience with death was Sir Weller's. That night, when he saw his mother's red eyes, somehow he realized 'death' equalled with 'never coming back again'. It was also the night he decided he would not love Conrad any more, since he was half human and therefore would leave him sooner.

Wolfram did not plan to fall in love with the idealist maou. In fact, his original plan was to endure his position while improving his fighting ability. He had intended to challenge the maou again later. Yet somehow, between each and every crazy adventure he was dragged on, he had fallen, and he'd and fallen hard.

On other hand, he remembered clearly when he realized his predicament. It was one of those evenings when he was indulging his hobby in painting. From his position near the window, he could see Yuuri and Conrad played that earth's ball game below. He could not hear what they said, but it was clear that Yuuri was laughing. Absently, he had entertained the thought that Yuuri was two timing him with his brother.

If he were honest, he would admit it was a foolish thought. Granted, his ego would not recover easily from it. Still, Yuuri had told everyone who had ears clearly and loudly what his opinion about their engagement was.

His curiosity got the better of him though. He was leaning out of the window, trying to overhear the conversation bellow. The evening was late and the sun was preparing to rest, sending tendrils of yellowish red everywhere. Then, Yuuri looked up at him, smiling, the sun rays making his black hair glitter slightly.

In that moment, Wolfram knew. It was a wonder, actually, how he had never realized it beforehand. It was always there, after all, like any other facts of life he had taken for granted. His name was Wolfram Von Bielefeld. He was the prior maou's third son. He was in love with Shibuya Yuuri.

He would not kid himself that Yuuri would receive his epiphany gladly. But he could wait. Maybe one day, Yuuri's feeling would change.

So, in that same moment, he promised to give Yuuri something he always wanted and never received. He promised that he would stay by Yuuri's side, whatever happened.

Wolfram closed the book. Beside him, Greta had fallen asleep like she always did.

It was funny how he tended to dislike people he later loved. When he met her for the first time, he regarded her as an annoying child, his rival in gaining whatever little attention Yuuri had left. These days, she was something to ease a little of the ache he felt whenever Yuuri went home to earth.

He would not tell anybody he had had so many nightmares of Yuuri leaving to earth and never return. After all, everybody left. So, why should Yuuri be any different?

Each time Yuuri disappeared like that, his insecurities were reinforced. Yuuri may have been Shin Makoku's maou, but he had no doubt Yuuri also loved earth, if not even more. He had family and friends there. Try as they might here, they could never replace that. Gwendal and Gunter were more of advisers than friends. Wolfram tried to curb his jealousy at the thought that Conrad was the nearest of family Yuuri had here.

His eyes fell to Greta. Yes, he knew in his heart which world Yuuri would choose if he were forced to do so. Because, there was no way an unwanted fiancé and adopted daughter could be a good enough substitute for what he had there.

But it was not something he could change, so he preferred not to dwell on it most of the time.

"Don't pretend to be innocent! I knew you flirted with Lady Morgen," Wolfram shouted, throwing the pillows to Yuuri.

"Wait, Wolfram, I just danced with her once. How can it be flirting?" Yuuri raised his hands, trying to repel the attack. At least this time Wolfram used pillows, and not some breakable or, he shuddered remembering that particular incident, his fire.

"Excuses, excuses! What else should I think when my fiancé dances with another girl? You are an incorrigible cheater!" Wolfram refused to be pacified. It was better to focus on the indignant anger. That way, he could ignore the niggling fear in his heart every time Yuuri was close with someone else. Yuuri had made his feelings clear regarding him being a boy. What Yuuri wanted was a woman, something that he would never be able to fulfil, no matter what he did.

"I am not a cheater!" Yuuri sighed, exasperated. "How can I cheat, when I never agreed to this engagement on the first place? I can't understand why you maintained this farce."

Yuuri could be so blind sometimes. Yuuri seemed to be so oblivious that he really, really liked him. Just like Yuuri seemed to never realize that his words twisted the knife deeper on his heart.

Wolfram wondered how his mouth could keep speaking while others part of him were numb. It was the right thing, he knew. Yuuri thought of earth as his home. He would regret it if he were to lose his only chance to come home.

It killed him to voice those words. Still, for once in his admittedly selfish life he would do the right thing. Yuuri would be happier this way and somehow he would find a way to exist, if not to live. After all, he had prepared for this to happen. At least he had his memories. They would be enough. They should be enough. They had to be enough.

Yet, when he saw Yuuri turn around, he could feel the wetness on his cheeks. This was it, then. After everything, he lost him as well. Yuuri was gone. He would never come back, liked his father and everybody else that had abandoned him.

Even now, a few hours later, Wolfram still could not believe his eyes and ears. He was scared enough to wish that the whole situation was just one of those dreams, and in a moment he would awake and Yuuri was still on earth. After all, he'd had a lot of them since Yuuri's departing.

Yuuri was back. He would go to earth now and then, but he has chosen Shin Makoku. Unlike the many others before him, Yuuri had returned.

And for the first time, Wolfram let himself hope that maybe, maybe Yuuri would also stay by his side.

Wolfram really, really hated the ocean, both because he always got sick whenever they travelled by sea and because Yuuri seemed so fond of this method of travelling.

"You know, you don't need to go Wolf. There is no danger. This is just a friendly visit," Yuuri's voice came from his right, accompanied by a hand which made comforting motions on his back.

"I have to go. I can't let you out off my sight this long. After all, you are a cheater. I can't trust you," he glared at the maou, before promptly emptying the contents of his stomach to the sea again.

How could Yuuri even suggest such a thing? He was the king's fiancé! It was his privilege and his duty to accompany the king in his journeys. Besides, he promised he would not leave Yuuri.

"Honestly Wolf, "he could feel Yuuri rolling his eyes," How many times have I told you that it was an accident?"

Then cancel the engagement, Wolfram wanted to say. But he was afraid of Yuuri's answer.

"Wolfram, run! There are too many of them! You won't be able to win," Yuuri shouted uselessly.

It was supposed to be another simple border inspection. Jozak had the duty of performing it, usually alone. But it had been too long since Yuuri had gone out of the castle, and so despite Gunter's protests and Gwendal's disagreements, he insisted on accompanying Jozak, which naturally prompted Wolfram to join as well. It was unplanned that there would be an ambush, with only three of them against a band of humans.

"And leave you here? Are you mad as well as a wimp?"

If he were honest, Wolfram admitted he was the crazy one. Jozak was injured and out of commission while Yuuri's power was unstable. On other hand, the enemies were well prepared and simply far too many in number. It was suicide, plain and simple, to stay.

He dodged another attack, throwing some fire in retaliation. In his mind, he could hear Gwendal's voice from a time far away.

"_If you ever find yo__urself surrounded and in disadvantage, it would be prudent to retreat and ask for back up. Not running away maybe seems to be a braver action, but there is no use for a dead soldier, no matter how brave he is."_

But he could not leave Yuuri.

He blocked another attack. This one was a near miss. It was at that time he realized that in his distraction, he has forgotten one of them and said person had come near Yuuri.

Another voice came into his memory. Once, when he was little, he has asked Conrad why he had to learn how to fight with sword when he has his fire.

"_I guessed you have to learn to fight because sometimes your magic is not enough, because there is something so important you want to protect."_

He ran, trying to reach Yuuri on time. The others had surrounded him, preventing his fire from burning the one whose sword was nearing Yuuri.

Yuuri was not a good sword player. He barely could hurt a target.

He threw the fire indiscriminately then, while trying with the sword on his other hand to hurt whatever came his way. Dimly, that was a voice in his head pointed out, unhelpfully, that Yuuri would not be happy if he killed any of their attackers, the bleeding heart that he was.

Yuuri's sword has disappeared. The other man was drawing his, prepared to deal the killing blow. There was no time. Wolfram concentrated all of his strength into throwing himself to the sword's path.

'Goodbye, Yuuri. Sorry, in the end I can't stay…'

His world came into a standstill. He could not see anything. He could feel the throbbing wound in his chest, but it felt like a detached thing. Then vaguely, he heard the maou's voice, angry. The last things he felt before he lost unconsciousness were the falling rain and Yuuri's hand, pouring healing magic into his body.

"Do you know how to cancel an engagement?"

The question came suddenly. Upon reflection, Wolfram realized he should have expected it's. After all, Yuuri had avoided him more than usual in the latter weeks. Still, at that time, hearing the words made him feel as if he had been struck with sword from behind.

"Pardon?" maybe he heard it wrong. Please, let him have heard it wrong.

"I want to break our engagement," Yuuri said," Not that I admitted we really engage in the first place, mind. But you seem to think so. So I thought maybe I have to break it formally. But when I looked it up the library I found no explanation, none that I can understand anyway. And I really don't want to ask the others about it, since it is not their problem anyway," he rushed out the rest of his explanation.

Funny, Wolfram had thought it would hurt, but all he felt was a strange kind of numb.

"You are rambling," he said.

"I can't help it. Anyway, do you know?"

There was a hopeful tone in Yuuri's voice. Wolfram never knew hope could make him bleed.

"Why?" he asked instead.

"Em," Yuuri's could feel the blush starting to colour his face. "Remember our last trip to the border? After Gizela ordered a bed rest for you, I went back there with Conrad and Gwendal, to make sure all the rebels have been captured. I met someone there, the daughter of the town's chief, actually. Gunter said she was one of the minor noble. I really like her, Wolfram,"

There were so many sentences crowding his brain, waiting to be said. Don't leave me. Why couldn't I be enough? Did you prefer someone you didn't really know to me, just because she was a girl? I don't want to break it. If it was just an infatuation, it would pass. How could you ask me about that? You were a cheater. I have better qualifications than her. You were a heartless bastard.

Yet, the only thing came out of his mouth was, "You just announce it and it will be broken,"

He was wrong, he was so wrong. Yuuri may have come back, but he would not stay by his side.

It had been quite sometimes since Blood Pledge Castle hosted a party, and even then it was not of this magnitude. Their last party was tainted with sadness and memories of those they had lost in the war before.

Almost the entire palace had been decorated grandly. All of the guests' suites were full. News had it that peoples were celebrating at every town in Shin Makoku. Even from his place, hidden in a balcony, Wolfram could hear the ringing laughter.

He smiled bitterly. Compared to this national event, his engagement was a trivial moment. A slap, a duel, and that were it. No wonder Yuuri had always insisted that it was an accident.

In the middle of the ballroom, the maou was dancing with his new fiancée. Framed with her curly brown hair, her face was looking up at him with adoration. Her white gown, which made her seem so young, was twirling around like cloud. Yuuri's hands held her waist tenderly. He was smiling all the time.

Funny, but it was Yuuri's smile which hurt him so much. Yuuri never acted that happy with him. He smiled, yes, but not with that kind of sweetness. And Yuuri also never looked at him like that, as if he was a dream come true.

'A nightmare came true, maybe,' he thought, self mockingly.

No wonder Yuuri was happy. Yuuri always wanted a princess, his princess. This was his fairy tales' ending came true.

He had been tempted to ask Gwendal for an out-of-country assignment. He did not want to witness Yuuri's happiness with this fiancée. It was painful.

It was the memory of a promise long ago that stopped him. He was still a soldier and Yuuri's subordinate. Yuuri was a trouble magnet. There were still people out there who wanted to hurt the maou.

Yuuri maybe did not want nor need him as a fiancé. Yet, he still could use a protector and a friend. Wolfram would stay. He had promised.

"Wolfram, wait,"

The voice stopped him on his track. Wolfram turned around and inclined his head slightly.

"Good morning, Yuuri Heika. What can I help you with?"

"It is Yuuri, Wolfram. Honestly, I hope you will stop acting so formal. You are worse than Conrad,"

He fancied there was something like sadness and maybe a little bit of longing on Yuuri's voice. Yet, maybe he only projected his own feeling. And he really should stop thinking of the boy in front of him as Yuuri. It would make his life easier if he could regard him simply as Heika.

'_Enough daydreaming, it will only lead you to troubles. You know Yuuri will never like you that way,' _silently, he chastised himself.

"You are the maou, it is only proper," he said instead.

"Since when did care about being proper?" Yuuri muttered, "Anyway, I miss you lately. Gwendal said you are training the new recruits."

'_Since I am no longer your fiancé, hence losing the right to call you by name. And I cannot stand seeing you being so close with your Lady Gissele. I do have feelings, you know,' _he thought bitterly.

"The castle's security needs to be improve,"

"Still, do you have time tonight? After dinner? There is something I want to talk about,"

Wolfram wondered about his over-active imagination, because surely he imagined the blush stained Yuuri's face. There was no reason for it. Most likely, the friendly king just wanted a company his age or seemingly his age anyway.

He doubted it was some kingdom's issues. Yuuri would talk to Gunter or Gwendal about it. It surely would not be something about the earth, since Conrad was a better choice for that matter. He fervently hoped it was not about the future queen and Yuuri's romance. He would not be able to stand it.

"I have training tonight, but if it is convenience for Heika, I will be at the library afterwards,"

"Excellent! I'll meet you there, then," said Yuuri, beaming, before he went away, leaving a confused Wolfram behind.

There was too much relief and joy in Yuuri's face for a simple agreement for conversation. It made him almost called Yuuri back and cancelled it. He was really afraid that despite his hopes, the topic would be about Lady Gissele.

It happened so fast. One moment they were having an ordinary dinner together. The only difference, if it could be counted as one, was Yuuri choosing to sit next to him rather than his fiancée. He chalked it up to Yuuri trying to be a good friend, especially after their conversation that evening. Gunter and Gwendal were involved in the usual discussion regarding some protocols or others, while Yuuri regaled the others about the improvements his baseball team had made. Then, in another moment, the rebels attacked.

His first thought was that someone has let them lose from the castle's prison. Yet, even by glancing at their numbers, he realized some of them have come from outside the palace, although he did not know how they bypassed the tight security. Someone must have helped them, someone he would gladly burn when he found out who he was.

They, unfortunately, had been caught unprepared. Once again, the invaders overwhelmed them by number. He stood with his back facing Yuuri, who held Lady Gissele near him. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Conrad take a step back to back with Yuuri. He remembered absently thought that at least Yuuri would be safe, when he heard Gunter's scream.

The sight he saw when he turned around was something Wolfram knew would always stay on his nightmare. Yuuri was lying on the floor, the hilt of a knife protruded from his stomach. Beside him, Lady Gissele stood with a triumphant smile on her face.

"You are exhausted. Why don't you take some nap? I will tell you when Heika awoke," Conrad shook his younger brother's shoulder gently. Wolfram had been sitting in that chair for hours now.

"I won't leave him,"

"You are barely awake yourself. Besides, Gizela has healed his wounds. She promised he will wake up,"

"No, I won't leave him," Wolfram repeated. How could Conrad even suggest that? More to the point, how could he fail protecting Yuuri? He buried his face on his hands.

"It was not your fault, you know,"

Wolfram deigned no reply.

"You are young. I used to think like you did, especially when I was joining the war," Conrad said. He had pulled another chair next to the one Wolfram occupied and sat on it, "Yet the only thing we can do is trying our best,"

"I should do better," Normally, Wolfram would not answer, but at that moment he was too distraught to remember that he supposed to keep away from Conrad. Besides, Conrad was a familiar presence.

"No one is blaming you except yourself, Wolf. I was there as well, remember? So were Gunter and Gwendal. None of us suspected her as one of the rebels. We focused on protecting both of them. It was really lucky Jozak realized something was wrong and came with the back up,"

"She was the one who let them in, wasn't she? She was the one who set the prisoners free."

"Yes. She must have planned it since the beginning. She admitted to Gwendal that originally they intended to wait a bit longer, but Heika broke up with her this evening, so they precipitated the plan."

Wolfram sighed.

"I don't like her, never did," He was silent for a moment before continuing. For all those emotions he displayed clearly in his voice and face, he was a private person. He hated to share feelings he held dear, especially those that could be interpreted as weaknesses.

On other hand, he was too tired to really think and even though he usually chose to forget it, Conrad was his confidante once upon a time, "I thought it was because of the engagement," he admitted finally.

"You have the right to feel that way, you know."

Somehow, it made him felt better, knowing that someone acknowledged his feeling as real. Yuuri always preferred living in denial.

"I hate waiting," he whined.

Conrad chuckled fondly. "You are always an active person, always moving and speaking. Sometimes I wondered where you get your energy."

Then, he stood, "If you are insisting to stay, I will go help Gwendal with the interrogations. You better try to sleep, though, Wolf. It will be sometime before he will be awake."

Wolfram waited until Conrad reached the door, before calling, hesitated, "Sir Weller?"

"Yes?" Conrad asked, turning his head.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome," Conrad said, smiling, "little brother"

Wolfram felt the hand he was holding moved before his sleepy brain registered the meaning. It was when he opened his eyes and saw a pair of black ones looking back at him he realized that Yuuri has regained consciousness.

"You are awake," He said. Somehow, his brain could not conjure any other sentences.

"Water?" Was Yuuri's answer. His throat felt like a desert.

Wolfram took the glass from the bed stand in haste. Yet, the hand that brought it to Yuuri's lips was gentle and not hurrying at all.

"What time is now? Are have you stayed here all the time?"

Wolfram nodded. "It is morning. Gwendal and the others have taken the rebels and your fiancée into custody, Heika," If Yuuri told him to let that woman go, he would send Yuuri back into unconsciousness.

Yuuri sighed. "It was my fault."

"Your fault?"

Wolfram was torn in two. He wanted to reassure Yuuri that it was not in any shape Yuuri's fault. Yuuri had been hurt; he did not want to add to it with guilt. He knew first-hand how terrible guilt felt. Yet on the other hand, he wanted to blame Yuuri for everything. He was tempted to feel sanctimonious. Yuuri had chosen a stranger over him, simply because that stranger was a girl. Just look where it had brought them.

"I am the one who brought her here."

"It was not your fault, Heika," The side which wanted to cheer Yuuri up won.

"It is Yuuri, Wolf," Yuuri said.

Wolfram ignored him.

"I will tell Gizela that you are awake then," He said instead. He moved, getting up from the chair he has occupied since last night. He could feel his legs have been asleep.

He was just about to walk, when he realized Yuuri has not let go of his hand.

"Yuuri?" he asked, turning around.

"No, Stay," Yuuri whispered, "Please"

Wolframs smiled and tighten his hold on Yuuri's hand, "Always."

End


End file.
